古者聖王貴德而務施，緩刑辟而趨民時。
In former times the sagekings prized acts of kindness and considered charitable distributions to be of the utmost importance.
今春築臺，是奪民時也。
They lessened punishments and requisitioned labor in season. But you are now proposing to construct a tower in the spring.
夫德不施則民不歸，刑不緩則百姓愁。
This is to snatch away the people’s seasons.
使不歸之民，役愁怨之百姓，而又奪其時，是重竭也。
“When favors are not extended, the people will not, let us note, tender their loyalty, and, when punishments are not relaxed, the people will be anxious.
夫牧百姓，養育之而重竭之，豈所以定命安存，而稱為人君於後世哉！
Issuing commands to folk who have not tendered their loyalty, imposing tasks on an anxious and embittered populace, and then in addition snatching away their seasons is to impose an intolerably extreme burden on them.
」平公曰：「善。
When one who acts as a shepherd of the people, instead of strengthening and nourishing his subjects, imposes intolerable burdens on them, how can this be seen as a way of stabilizing the mandate and settling the existing populace, such that subsequent generations would consider such a ruler to be equal to his position?” “Well argued!” said Lord Ping.
」乃罷臺役。
He abandoned the tower-building project.